How to Maintain your Pressure Cooker

In India, the sound of a pressure cooker's whistle has become synonymous with a family's kitchen routine. At different times in the day, from different homes, you will hear the Pressure Cooker hissing and whistling. The legendary Madhur Jaffrey in her 'Instantly Indian Cookbook' writes that pressure cookers were familiar to all Indian cooks since “for at least the last forty years, almost every middle-class Indian household has had one, two, or even three pressure cookers whistling away.”

For decades, pressure cookers have been kitchen essentials across India in homes and professional kitchens - helping to cook with ease and speed, thereby saving on gas bills along the way. Most of all, pressure cookers offer homemakers a respite from long hours in the kitchen.

In fact, the pressure cooker is such a handy tool and used so frequently in every kitchen, that we don't always realize that it needs some care and attention from time to time. Regular maintenance and following some basic dos & don’ts can ensure that our pressure cooker works well and stands the test of time.

SIMPLE DOS & DON’TS

1. Never heat an empty pressure cooker; it might cause damage and discoloration
2. Always ensure you have sufficient liquid for cooking.
3. Avoid leaving foodstuff to which salt has been added in the cooker overnight as it may cause pitting of the steel surface
4. Keep all vents clear and free from food debris
5. Hard water deposits may cause white spots on the cooker surface; these can be removed by rinsing the pan with warm lemon juice or vinegar.
6. For cleaning, avoid the use of metal scourers or steel wool, as these items will scratch the surface.
7. Never use bleach or caustic agents to clean your pressure cooker

HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR PRESSURE COOKER

There are four basic tips to keep your pressure cooker looking and working like new.

1. Avoid leaving food inside the cooker overnight

This is not only bad for the food which may form bacteria (especially in warm Indian climate) but not good for the cooker either. The food will discolour the cooker and make it that much harder to clean.

2. Wash after each use

After each use, it is recommended to wash the cooker inside and outside, with warm soapy water. A kitchen sponge and regular dishwashing soap should suffice. In case of stubborn stains, take half a lemon and rub the juice all over the inside surface. Wait a while, then rinse. A vinegar solution may also be used. Dry thoroughly with a kitchen cloth to prevent watermarks from forming.

3. Clean stubborn stains & burnt food

In case you ever burn food in the pressure cooker or end up with stubborn stuck-on leftovers, just fill the pressure cooker up with water and put it on the stove for 10-15 minutes on slow heat. This will help loosen the food bits which can then be scrubbed off later.

You could also fill the pressure cooker with a mixture of water and 1 cup of white vinegar, and let it sit overnight. Next morning, wash and dry it as usual. Repeat this again in few days to get rid of any remnants.

4. Clean the vent & gasket

The detachable gasket is a crucial element of the pressure cooker. After cooking, remove the gasket from the lid, wash and allow to dry.

The vent too plays a crucial role as it is the outlet for releasing built-up pressure and excess steam that can become hazardous inside the cooker. With use, the vent could get blocked with food bits, liquids, and grime.

To clean the vent, insert a toothpick to dislodge any accumulated grime. Then, using a knife, gently scrape the notches to eliminate any dirt, food, or hard water deposits.

CONCLUSION

In summation, while we have tried to provide some general tips on how to maintain and care for your pressure cooker, it is recommended that you also read the instruction manual carefully. Every pressure cooker model is different, and it’s important that you know and understand it properly before use.

We also recommend that you try to use newer models of pressure cookers for your home since older models are unreliable and do not provide the same level of safety features that the modern cookers do. Triply steel pressure cookers are now in vogue, offering all the advantages of triply with sleek design and more durability.

Stahl offers India's first ISI-mark Triply Stainless Steel pressure cooker. The Triply ensures even and fast heating, while the specially designed inner gasket provides double protection while on flame. It is also dishwasher safe. For more information on buying a Triply pressure cooker, visit, https://stahlkitchens.com/blogs/news/buying-the-perfect-triply-pressure-cooker.